Sleigh-brake



(No Mbael.) A' l A. MECHAM. SLEIGH BRAKE.

No. 536,036. Patented Mar. NL41/95.

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NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADELBERT MEOHAM, OF EDINBURG, NORTH DAKOTA.

SLEIGH-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION' forming part of Letters PatentNo. 536,036, dated March 19, 1895.

Application led J' une 16, 1894 Serial No. 514,769. (llo model.)

.To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADELBERT MECHAM, of Edinburg, in the county of Walsh and State of North Dakota, have invented a new and Improved Sleigh-Brake, of which the followto prevent the sleigh from running backward.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brake which when the sleigh is descending a hill will by the action of the team inv holding back, be applied and will control the descent of the sleigh.

Afurther object of theinvention is to provide a means whereby when the team draws forwardly, the brakes will be drawn upward out of contact with the surface over which the sleigh may pass, and furthermore to provide locking devices by means ofwhich the brakes will be held in theirupper position when the sleigh is to be backed.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, 1n which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. v

Figure 1 is a plan View of a portion of a sleigh having the improvement applied. Fig.

2 is a partial side elevation of the sleigh, as shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 isa longitudinal vertical section through the sleigh and brake device, the said section being taken essentially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention, the runners A may be of any approved construction and are provided with the usual knees 10, connected by cross bars 11 and supported by braces 12. Links 13 and 14, are pivoted upon the forward end of each runner, one at the inner and the other at the outer side thereof, and the said links extend upward beyond the upper edgeof the runner, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A shaft 15, is pivoted in'the upper ends of the links 13 and 14 of each runner, and upon this shaft the cross head 16 of the pole 17 is secured, when a pole is used; and when shafts are employed they are connected also with the said shaft.

A crank arm 18,'is secu red upon the shaft p 15, preferably near each outer link in which the shaft is journaled. Each crank arm is provided with a head, and the heads are adapted to enter recesses 1,9, made in the npper surface of the forward end portions of each runner, and a drag 20, in the nature of a bar, is secured preferably to the central portion of the shaft 15; and when this drag is carried to an upper position, or substantially the positionA shown in Fig. 2, the shaft 15 will have been rocked sufficiently to carry the heads of the crank arms into the recesses 19 of the runners. f

A brake bar 2l, is pivoted upon the shaft 15, near each end thereof, preferably between the crank arms 18 and the inner linksr13; and these brake bars are carried downward through guides 22, secured to the inner facesv of the runners, and the lower ends of the brake bars are adapted to enter the surface over which the sleigh is drawn, being usually beveled at their lower ends.

In the operation of the brake the drag is usually permitted to engage with the surface over which the sleigh is drawn. Consequently, the heads of the crank arms 18 attached to the shaft 15, will be out of engagement with the runners and in the position shown in Fig. 3;l and when the team is drawing up hill, the forward draft on the pole or tongue 17 will carry the links 13 and 14 forwardly, and thus draw the brake bars 21 upward and out of engagement with the said surface, as shown in Fig. 2, while the drag may continue to engage with this surface. Consequently, when the team slackens up or stops, the drag will enter the snow or other surface over which \the sleigh is drawn, and will prevent the sleigh from sliding back or down the hill.

Whenever the sleigh is traveling down an inclined surface, the action ofthe team in holding back will throw the shaft 15 rearward, and consequently the links 13 and 14, and the harder the team holds back the more positively the brake bars, which are thrown downward to enter the surface over which the sleigh passes, willbe heldin engagement with ICO the said surface, and the moment that the team reaches level ground and draws forward again, the brake bars will be carried up.

In the event it is necessary to back the sleigh, the drag 20 is drawn upward by a lever, rope, or other approved means, to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the shaft l will be so rocked as to carry the locking crank arms 18 into the recesses 19 ot the sleigh runners, and hold the shaft stationary While the team pushes the sleigh rearward.

This device is exceedingly simple, durable and economic in its construction, is applicable to any form of sleigh, and is automatic in its operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. As an improvement in sled brakes, the combination with the sleigh runners, of a rock shaft journaled in the front ends thereof, brake bars carried thereby and a drag bar pivotally hung on the shaft for movement independent of the brake bars as'speciied,

2. As an improvement in sled brakes, the combination with the runners having lock notches, of a rock shaft journaled in the front ends thereof connected with the draft device,

and having brake bars having guided movement on the runners, and a detent or catch member adapted to dropinto locked engagement with the notches in the runners when the shaft is rocked forward and the brake bars raised from an operative position, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with sleigh runners, a draft device having rocking connection with the said runners, brake bars carried by the draft. device and having.,r guided movement upon the runners, and locking arms likewise carried bythe said draft device and adapted for locking engagement With the runners when the brake bars are in an upper position, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with sleigh runners, and a poie or shaft having pivotal and rocking engagement with the runners, of a drag carried by the draft device, brake bars operated f rom said draft device, and locking arms carried by the drag, said arms being adapted to enter keepers or recesses located upon the runners, as and for the purpose set forth.

ADELBERT MECHAM..

Witnesses:

WM. D. MEGHAM, C. BUCK. 

